Health effects of smoking

Smoking, Cancer, Cardiovascular diseases

In New Zealand, smoking kills 4,700 New Zealanders every year. This is equal to 17% of all deaths and is more than the combined deaths from alcohol, drugs, murder, suicide, road crashes, air crashes, poisoning, drowning, fires, falls, lightening and electrocution. Around half of all smokers aged 20 will die prematurely as a result of smoking. On average, people who die from smoking-related illness will die 14 years earlier than if they had not smoked. Smoking has especially devastating effects for Maori. Maori men and women have the highest recorded lung cancer rates in the world. Among Maori, one third of all deaths between 1989 and 1993 were smoking-related.

Smoking causes hundreds of illnesses.

Cancer of the lung, stomach, kidney, pancreas, bladder, anus, lip, tongue, throat, larynx and oesophagus. 94% of all people with lung cancer are smokers or formers smokers.

Heart attacks, narrowed arteries, fatty deposits in aorta, damaged heart muscle, thickened blood and increased pulse rate.

Increased risk of stroke (which can result in paralysis and loss of speech), headaches, mood changes and reduced oxygen to brain

Emphysema, asthma, bronchitis, smokers’ cough, tar deposits, damaged cilia, pleurisy and cell changes.

Slow healing wounds, narrowing and hardening of arteries, gangrene, decreased fitness, weakened bones

Stomach ulcers

Sore throat

Tooth decay, plaque and gum disease

Loss of hearing, sight (eye irritation, cataracts and blindness), smell and taste.

In males smoking can cause fertility problems and impotence.

In females smoking can cause miscarriage, low birth weight baby, increased risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS or cot death, fertility problems and cancer of the cervix)

Cigar smoking has at least equally negative health effects.